This New Series Begins on Sunday, November 26th!

In 2019, during the Advent season, I divided the confirmands into 4 groups and gave each group a simple task. The groups were asked to write up a brief report on how the Gospel writer assigned to them told the Christmas story. Needless to say, the group that got the Gospel of Mark was thrilled.

The confirmands were surprised to find out how much of the Christmas story comes from Matthew and Luke. They were also fascinated by the ways our holiday traditions distract us from the core story of Jesus’ birth and how Mark and John also have something important to say to those of us who are eager to light a candle on Christmas Eve and sing “Silent Night.”

This Advent season, our congregation will be invited to spend Christmas at the houses of each one of the evangelists, beginning with Mark, which is not only the earliest Gospel but also the one that gave the Church a word to define the first four books of the New Testament. We call the stories about Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection “Gospel” or “Good News” because this is how Mark introduced the story to the world – “The beginning of the good news [the “gospel”] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

As you prepare your house for Christmas, make time on Sunday morning to come with us into the houses of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Much like our choices for decorating our homes for Christmas, the evangelists’ décor and ambience reflect what they value most about this world-changing story of God-with-us through Christ.

Rev, Paulo Franca